REPAIRING THE BOAT. IO7 



elling down the river we passed at a distance several herds of wild cattle 

 grazing on the dry, coarse herbage of the pampa. On the afternoon of 

 January eighth we came to a place which in every way answered the de- 

 scription of that which had been given me of the place where the boat 

 had been abandoned. Mr. Peterson rode down on horseback to make 

 sure that it was the proper place and that the boat was still there, before 

 we should venture down with the cart. He found the boat at the place 

 we had suspected it would be found and returned to help me dow^n the 

 steep and perilous incline with the cart. May the good Lord forever 

 preserve me from ever again being compelled to resort to a two-wheeled 

 vehicle to get about over a rough and broken country. How I wished 

 that afternoon and many times afterwards for a light mountain wagon 

 fitted with a California brake. All the remaining afternoon was spent in 

 the descent of the bluff. Owing to the gentle nature of our shaft-horse we 

 were fortunate in meeting with no greater mishap than the breaking of the 

 hold-back straps, and late at night we arrived on the bank of the stream 

 near where the boat had lain for the past two years high and dry on a little 

 sand bar at the mouth of a small draw that entered the river at this point. 

 On the morning of January ninth we were up early and busily inspect- 

 ing the good ship that was to carry us to the opposite shore. We noted 

 carefully her many defects and discussed thoroughly the best means for 

 remedying each. We were not long in agreeing that, while not entirely 

 seaworthy, she could be made to answer our purpose. Covered by an 

 old sail there remained in her a considerable quantity of sugar and per- 

 haps two dozen bottles of Worcestershire sauce. The presence of the sugar 

 was proof positive that she had suffered chiefly from drouth, as her gap- 

 ing sides only too plainly indicated. In and about her were a small mast, 

 a number of oars, and several boards. By the aid of the oars and mast 

 as levers we succeeded in turning her keel up, when we calked and bat- 

 tened the cracks as best we could. Then, righting her again, we applied 

 such additional remedies as was possible from the inside, and with some 

 difficulty slid the old hulk down into the water, using the oars as ways. 

 As we had expected, she instantly filled. Making her fast to the shore 

 we left her in this condition to soak until the morning of January thir- 

 teenth. We passed the intervening time in examining the strata of the 

 bluffs about us, (which we found to consist of materials belonging to the 

 Santa Cruzian formation), in constructing a small tent from our tarpaulins 



